All Grown Up
by Louvampyer
Summary: Bare fic, postBare, Peter visits Ivy in the hospital after she has the baby... I might continue this, I don't know yet...


AN: I don't know where Bare takes place, so I pretty much made it as if it takes place around me, that way I can put things I actually know into the story, such as the Housing. The Housing is a low rent housing development where the state helps single mothers so they can support their families and hold jobs and all that… I think that's the only thing I made reference to that won't make sense to everyone else out there…

Disclaimer: I don't own them…

Peter sat at a small sofa near the closed window, looking out for a few long minutes before being able to look down at the small child in his hands. It seemed so odd that this little baby was one of the causes of so much over the past year, not that she could ever be held to blame, but it was still there. He traced his finger over her tiny jaw, willing her to open her eyes. He wanted to know who she looked like, if she had Ivy's dark green eyes, or Jason's big brown ones. Jason always had a thing for eyes, and he had even once told Peter that his eyes were the first thing that had attracted Jason to him. But the small child slept on.

"Kinda beautiful, don't you think?"

Peter looked up to see Ivy smiling at him. He adjusted that baby in his arms so he could stand up. "How long have you been up?"

"Just a few minutes. I was watching you." She sucked her bottom lip into her mouth, biting down on it nervously. "I gotta say you're one of the last people I was expecting to show up today."

Peter shrugged, almost apologetically, and began to rock back and forth, swinging the baby gently. "Ya well, Nadia called me. She said to tell you she'll be here tonight. She had some kind of mid term at noon, and then she's driving in from New York."

Ivy nodded slowly, looking at the sleeping figure in Peter's arms. She took a deep breath and settled back against the large pile of pillows behind her. "Thanks."

"For what?"

"Just for coming. I wasn't expecting many visitors." She closed her eyes and let her head fall back sleepily.

"Aren't your parent's coming?"

Ivy laughed, a bitter edge coming out in her smile. "With adoption papers, if at all." She opened her eyes to see the horrified expression on Peter's face, and her bitter smile softened. "God no Peter. They just made it pretty clear that an abortion or adoption were the only ways I could stay in their family tree."

"That's horrible." Who abandons their little girl at a time like this?

"Well, I'm eighteen in a few months, so theirs nothing they can do." She smiled as if knowing that simple thought was all that was getting her through. "But let's not talk about them." She waved one hand dismissingly. "How's school going?"

Peter shrugged again, cuddling the baby into the crook of his arm. "Good as can be expected I guess. Not great." He looked down at Ivy with sad eyes, which she returned. "I'm making it." He paused for a moment, taking a few deep breaths. "What about you? Haven't seen you since graduation."

"Ohh I have the glamorous life of a pregnant waitress living up at the housing." She laughed softly. "My parents said I could stay with them until I had money saved up and everything was ready, but it was mainly just so they could continue to try to get me to put the baby up for adoption. I didn't need pamphlets shoved in my face every morning."

"Makes sense." With every thing Ivy was already going through, it was obvious why she didn't need more problems handed to her.

"But I'm making ends meet well enough. Honestly, if I don't have all their support, I don't want any of it." She sniffled softly, obviously holding back tears. "I can do it on my own."

"Ivy?" Peter sat on the edge of Ivy's small hospital bed. She looked up at him, her eyes glazed over with tears. "You know, it's okay to ask for help." He of all people knew that now. If it hadn't been for his mother, and Nadia, and a strong system of prayer, he didn't think he would have gotten as far as he was.

Ivy finally let her strong façade fall, along with a stream of tears. "I don't know what to do Peter. I've never changed a diaper before. I don't know how to make formula. I've never been around babies!" She reached out and placed one hand on the sleeping girls head. "What if I can't do this Peter? She's so tiny. What if I break her?"

Peter would have found the last question a bit funny, if it weren't for how utterly honest Ivy had asked it. He placed his hand over Ivy's. "You're gonna be fine Ivy."

"But I can't do anything that a mother's supposed to be able to do." She used her free hand to wipe away her tears, but it did very little to dry her cheeks.

"Well, you'll learn. No one just comes with knowing those things. You grow into your roll, and you ask for help when you need it."

Ivy laughed softly. "Nadia said she'd help me out, just so I don't screw her niece up."

Peter smiled and laughed with her. "Well that was nice of her." He squeezed her hand softly. "I really do have faith in you. I think you've proven that if you want something bad enough, you're gonna get it." He meant it as a positive thing, but something in the way it sounded made them both look away and drop each others hands.

"Peter I'm…"

Peter cut her off with a forced smile. "It's fine Ivy."

"No really Peter, I'm sorry. If I knew I wouldn't have _ever_…"

"Really, just… I'm fine." But Peter still didn't look up to meet Ivy's eyes.

"You just left really quickly after graduation; I didn't get a chance to tell you that I was sorry."

"It wasn't your fault. Jason made a lot of… stupid decisions, and now the rest of us have to deal with them." He held the baby up slightly, tilting her head back to look over every angle of her face. "What did you call her anyways?"

"Hope." He looked back up at Ivy, and they exchanged a small smile.

"That's a good name." He held his hand under Hopes, opening up her tiny fist to lie against his palm. "You know, I could help too. I have a lot of baby cousins."

"I couldn't ask you to do that Peter. I can tell how uncomfortable just being here is for you. If she wasn't Jason's you wouldn't even be here."

"If she wasn't Jason's I would have no reason to stay away. We were friends too Ivy." Hope made a small gurgling sound and squirmed a bit in Peter's hands. "And I think I want to help. She's a little piece of him." He looked up at Ivy, his eyes a mix of gratitude, envy, and support. "We're probably never going to have that conversation though."

Ivy nodded, knowing exactly what he was talking about without it being said. Neither could say to the other what Jason meant to them. It was two entirely different forms of love that the other either wouldn't be able to understand, or would regret having heard. They both knew though, it was unsaid, and understood, and respected, but it wouldn't be talked about. There were too many tears at risk. "I'd really like that."

They shared one last smile before Hope's lashes fluttered open, revealing two big brown eyes. Silent tears fell free from Peter's eyes. She just cocked her head to the side curiously; if that's an emotion a baby of her age was capable of, as Peter lifted her into a soft hug, placing a series of kisses to the top of her head.


End file.
